Traditional precipitators, such as electrostatic precipitators, and scrubbers are widely used for treating exhaust containing gaseous pollutants and/or particulate emissions. For example, industrial processes, such as power and heat generation, may generate environmentally harmful particulate and gaseous emissions that may remain suspended in the air. These emissions often present health hazards when inhaled by humans and animals. Also, the particulate emissions tend to settle on equipment and buildings and may cause discoloration or even interfere with the proper function of the equipment. As such, it is important to remove these particulate emissions from the exhaust.
The exhaust can be passed through a traditional heat exchanger for recovering thermal energy from the exhaust. After all, many industrial processes discharge exhaust into the environment at an elevated temperature and recovering this thermal energy provides for an opportunity to improve the efficiency of the industrial process. Industrial processes capable of discharging exhaust containing gaseous pollutants at an elevated temperature may also be fitted with a scrubber and/or a wet electrostatic precipitator (“wet ESP”) to both remove gaseous pollutants, such as particulate emissions, and recover thermal energy. Wet electrostatic precipitators typically include a liquid, such as water, to capture both particulate and gaseous emissions as well as thermal energy, which may be directed through a heat exchanger for improved efficiency.
While electrostatic precipitators, scrubbers, and heat exchangers are generally known for use with industrial processes, the effectiveness of treating the exhaust has been limited, at least to some extent, by traditional design limitations and the wide variety of different components necessary for treatment. For example, electrostatic precipitators, scrubbers, and heat exchangers configured for treating exhaust typically require unique alloys and coatings that increase overall cost and limit available space. Thus, the amount of surface area available to any one of the precipitators, scrubbers, and heat exchangers is reduced and, similarly, reduces the effectiveness of the treatment. In addition, traditional wet electrostatic precipitators often produce a liquid mist that increases the likelihood of electrically shorting one or more electrodes, which also reduces its effectiveness for collecting particulate emissions.
There is a need for a device and method of treating an exhaust that improves treatment effectiveness, reduces complexity, reduces costs, and addresses present challenges and characteristics such as those discussed above.